NASA

Cosmonautics of the United States

Main article: Cosmonautics USA

Financing

Share of NASA's budget in the US federal budget

Lunar program

Main article: US Lunar Program

History

2024

NASA cancels multi-billion dollar contract with Maxar to develop technology to refuel withdrawn satellites due to non-compliance with deadlines and excessive costs

In March 2024, NASA canceled a multi-billion dollar contract with Maxar for the development of fueling technology for withdrawn satellites due to non-compliance with deadlines and excessive costs.

The idea itself has been in the heads of designers for a long time: it is the fuel reserves that most often determine the active life of the device - as they expire, it loses the ability to adjust the orbit and perform the target function. Therefore, the development of the "space refueling" technology will be able to significantly increase their operating time up to twofold growth. This is especially true for piece and expensive reconnaissance vehicles, which sometimes have to spend fuel for interorbital maneuvers.

In practice, however, it is not yet possible to implement the plan even with the involvement of private contractors: according to NASA representatives, Maxar underestimated the scale and complexity of the work, and also did not have a complete understanding of technical requirements and expert knowledge.

However, in any case, this is a very promising technology - from 2025, American military vehicles will equip PRM refueling ports, and in parallel, the US Space Force oversees the development of the GAS-T orbital tanker.

Successes in the creation of such satellites will make an additional contribution to the process of militarization of space, wrote "Rybar."

NASA laid off hundreds of employees due to failed projects

On February 6, 2024, it became known about the layoffs of employees in NASA structures. Thus, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) dismisses 530 employees, which is 8% of the total staff. Uncertainty in the 2024 budget is cited as the reason for the reduction.

The company said it would lay off 530 employees and 40 contractors after failing in other ways to cut costs for NASA and especially the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program.

Pexels

After all attempts to adapt to a lower budget from NASA, and in the absence of the right to dispose of the budget from the US Congress, we were forced to make a difficult decision to reduce the volume of labor through staff reductions, the company said.

A month earlier, NASA stopped working with a hundred contractors, many of whom worked on MSR. This was due to NASA's decision to cut the program's budget due to the large difference in the proposed budget from the two houses of Congress.

JPL director Laura Leshin, in January 2024, announced that she had chosen a transparency strategy in advance and warned employees about possible cuts.

NASA's decision to cut the budget of the MSR program caused great indignation among members of Congress from the state of California. In November 2023, six congressmen wrote a letter to the director of NASA, reporting possible losses of work and delays in the program if NASA had not continued sponsoring the program at previous rates. In February 2024, already 44 members of Congress appealed to the Department of Management and Budget of the White House.

This ill-judged and wrong decision will cost us hundreds of jobs and a decade of lost science, and the responsibility for this will lie with the power of Congress, the congressmen wrote.[1]

2023

NASA's project to return samples from Mars completely failed

The return from the surface of Mars of about 500 grams of soil samples in its current form is "almost impossible." This was reported to NASA in a public report on the program, published on September 21, 2023. Read more here.

NASA employee admitted to draining military software to the Chinese

In January 2023, ex-employee NASA Jonathan Yeth Wing Sung admitted that he deliberately violated the agreement with the American space organization and participated in the transfer of the military ON to the Chinese. Now he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. More here.

2022: NASA did not fire employees in Russia despite the demand of the State Department

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has abandoned the recommendation of the US State Department to reduce the number of personnel in Russia. This was announced in early October 2022 by the head of the agency's program on the ISS, Joel Montalbano.

According to him, NASA has employees in Star City, at the Mission Control Center in Moscow. He did not name the exact number of employees.

NASA did not fire employees in Russia

We are in close contact with the embassy, we communicate with the embassy, if not every day, then every other day and inform them about what is happening, the embassy is fully aware of all operations, "he said during a NASA teleconference (quoted by Interfax).

Montalbano noted that cooperation between Russia and the United States by the beginning of October 2022 is underway as usual. He noted that during the trip of NASA representatives to Moscow, a few weeks ago, he communicated with the US Ambassador to the Russian Federation and informed him about the state of affairs.

We do not expect any obstacles to the future launch of Soyuz next spring, we have all the employees we need, and we continue to work under the leadership of the embassy, "added the head of NASA's ISS program.

At the end of September 2022, the State Department asked US citizens to leave Russia as soon as possible and refrain from flying to the country. The diplomatic department linked the decision with the partial mobilization announced in Russia.

Russia can refuse to recognize US citizenship to persons with dual citizenship, deny them access to US consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia and call persons with dual citizenship to military service, the warning says.[2]

2021

Former NASA astronaut confesses to killing two girls

At the end of May 2021, James Halsell pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of two girls in a car accident that occurred in 2016. The former NASA astronaut faced up to 30 years in prison, but the judge sentenced him to four years of probation and another 10 years of supervision. In case of violation of restrictions, Halsell can go to prison for 16 years. Relatives of the dead girls found the court verdict unfair. Read more here.

Bill Nelson is the new head of NASA

At the end of April 2021, the US Senate unanimously approved Bill Nelson as the next head of NASA. The voting was broadcast on the website of the upper house of the legislature. Nelson is known for accusing Russia of hacking into Florida's election system as a senator. Read more here.

Unmanned helicopter first flew on Mars

In April 2021, the unmanned Ingenuity helicopter, which flew to Mars with the Perseverance rover, made the first controlled flight on another planet in human history.

In the first test flight, the device rose three meters, after which it dropped back.

Hacker attack through SolarWinds software

On February 23, 2021, it became known that as part of a large-scale espionage campaign aimed at US government agencies and private companies, hackers hacked into the networks of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Read more here.

Perseverance probe lands on Mars

On February 18, 2021, the largest and most technically complex probe that NASA has ever sent to Mars - Perseverance, made a successful landing on Mars.

It became the ninth spacecraft to sink to the surface of the Red Planet and is part of NASA's first mission to search for signs of ancient life on Mars. It was launched in July 2020.

For the first time in history, a specially designed Martian helicopter was sent with him.

2019: Auditors slam NASA staff

The information security of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States leaves much to be desired. This conclusion was reached by specialists from the NASA Office of the Inspector General based on the results of^[3] Audit.]

Auditors criticized NASA personnel for "untimely conducting a control assessment of information security." According to them, this may indicate "a lack of control and potential threats to NASA operations that could undermine the ability to control protect the privacy, integrity and availability of their data, systems and networks."

"For the second year in a row, we have been evaluating NASA's cybersecurity program as a whole at Level 2 (Defined), which does not correspond to the Level 4 (Manageable and Measurable) required by the Administrative Budget Office, which must comply with the cybersecurity program in order to be considered effective," said Jim Morrison, assistant inspector general for audit.

Auditors raised concerns on two aspects. Firstly, NASA's plans to ensure the security of information systems contain incomplete and inaccurate data, and secondly, a control assessment is not carried out on a regular basis.

Under the Office of Inspector General's cybersecurity program evaluation system, Level 2 means that "policies, procedures and strategies are formalized and documented, but not always implemented." In turn, level 4 means that a government agency has "quantitative and qualitative indicators of the effectiveness of policies, procedures and strategies collected throughout the organization and used to assess and make necessary adjustments."

2017: NASA seeks additional funding with a hacker threat

Hacking the NASA Space Agency system is just a "matter of time." This statement was made in an interview with Bloomberg by the head of the information security department of NASA Janet Hannah-Ruiz. Ms Hannah-Ruiz considers the space agency a "highly attractive target for cybercriminals" ^[4] the ^[5].

The head of the information security department sees the main threat in the fact that hackers working for hostile states will be able to intercept messages transmitted between the control center and the space station and satellites. The scenario of Hollywood militants, where attackers with the help of computer geniuses seize control of military satellites, may well be embodied in real life. Last year, the agency reported 1,484 "cyber incidents" that were quickly neutralized. A year ago, NASA discovered malware on more than 10,000 computers.

2012: Infiltration of the agency's network

According to NASA Chief Auditor Paul K. Martin, hackers have repeatedly been able to control the computers of NASA's Jet Engine Laboratory (JPL) and "compromised the accounts of the most privileged JPL users." An investigation is underway into the event, in which, according to a senior official, computers with IP addresses belonging to the Chinese Internet zone took part.

Paul Martin: "Between April 2009 and April 2011, NASA reported the loss or theft of 48 mobile devices belonging to the agency." Source: BBC News

Martin's report on the state of cybersecurity NASA was presented to the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the Senate Science, Space and Technology Committee. In this document, Martin described on the basis of which investigators are convinced that the attack is related to the IP addresses of the Chinese Internet zone. He said that the attackers had "full access to the system" and could "change, copy, delete important files" or "download hacker utilities to steal credentials and compromise other NASA systems."

Martin also noted that during 2010-2011. the agency experienced 5048 computer incidents. He stressed that "from April 2009 to April 2011, NASA reported the loss or theft of 48 mobile devices belonging to the agency," said BBC News. Once a laptop without crypto protection was lost, which contained detailed information about the algorithms and mathematical models used to control the International Space Station.

In a response statement, the space agency announced significant progress in protecting the organization's IT systems. NASA told the BBC that "during the entire duration of the International Space Station, its systems have never been threatened due to these violations."

The auditor noted that NASA is an attractive target for cyber attacks. The motives behind the attacks varied, he said. They involved both amateurs wanting to hone their hacking prowess and well-organized criminal groups specializing in profit-seeking hacks, as well as incursions funded by intelligence agencies of other states.

However, along with criticism of the security of the agency's IT structure, auditor Martin noted that the investigation led to "arrests and sentences of foreign citizens in China, Great Britain, Italy, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Turkey and Estonia."

Making excuses, NASA announced work done to improve the reliability of security systems. However, the chairman of the congressional subcommittee, Paul Broun, noted in an online report: "Despite progress, NASA's information security threats are constant. Until the agency is ready to withstand attacks - data, systems and control will be at risk. "

1956-1999: Russia leads the United States in space

Click on the image twice to enlarge it

1993: Repairing Hubble Telescope in Orbit

NASA ​​Kosmonavt Franklin Story Musgrave during the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope in outer space, which lasted almost 8 hours. This mission demonstrated the astronauts' ability to repair satellites directly in orbit. December 1993.

1989: Studying virtual reality

Studying virtual reality at the NA Research Center

1989]]

1986: Death of 7 astronauts during the "Challenger" explosion

The deceased crew of the Challenger. The shuttle collapsed as a result of an explosion at 73 seconds of flight. All crew members died. 1986.

1984

Bruce McCandless overboard the Challenger space shuttle, February 1984.

1981: First manned flight of the reusable transport spacecraft Columbia

The first manned flight of the Columbia STS-1 reusable transport spacecraft took place on April 12, 1981 (until that moment NASA had not put astronauts into orbit for 6 years).

The'Columbia' shuttle inside.

1977

NASA Engineer Vic Koukoukal, Testing the AX-3 Space Suit, 1977

1973

Medical examination on Skylab-2, 1973, Earth's orbit. In the photo, Joseph Kerwin, MD, PhD, conducts an examination of Pete Conrad, commander of the Skylab-2 mission.

1971: Apollo 14 is the third human landing on the moon

Alan Shepard plays golf on the moon, 1971.

In 1971, as part of the Apollo 14 mission, astronaut Alan Shepard asked to take a golf club and two balls to the moon - just to pulse before flying back, to which he was given the go-ahead. After the first strike, the control center commented on the attempt:

• Bend your knees a little harder and tilt your head lower.

"I'm wearing a fucking spacesuit!" Shepard replied.

But indeed, if after the first attempt the ball was sent about 200 meters, then from the second it flew as much as 400, after which the astronauts packed their things and went home to Earth on the most expensive vehicle ever built.

Apollo 14 landing capsule, 1971

The Fallen Astronaut is the only monument allegedly left on the Moon by the crew of the Apollo 15 spacecraft in 1.08.1971. Next to the figure, a plate with the names of eight US astronauts and six USSR cosmonauts is stuck in the ground.

1969: Apollo 9 launched

Astronaut Dave Scott looks at Earth from the Apollo 9 command module in March 1969. NASA photo

1968: Apollo Flight 8

Wives of astronaut members of Apollo 8 flight as they hear voices of their husbands in orbit, 1968

1967: First color photo of the whole Earth

The first color photograph of the entire Earth from the DODGE (Department of Defense Gravity Experiment) satellite, taken in August 1967

1966

NASA satellite OV1-8 PASCOMSAT, 1966.

Dzhemini-12

First Space Selfie, Gemini 12 Rocket, November 1966

Gemini 8: The world's first manual docking

Gemini 8 is an American manned spacecraft. The sixth manned flight under the Gemini program. Made the world's first manual docking.

Astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott finished flying Gemini 8. UNITED STATES. 1966 g.

1960

Two NASA engineers inside a wind tunnel hangar at Ames Research Center, USA, 1960.)

1958

Animal experiments to find out the effect on the body of being upside down for a long time in a NASA laboratory. Washington, USA, 1958.

1957: Rocket explosion with the first American satellite

Unsuccessful launch of the first American satellite, 1957, USA

Notes